Fixture for displaying packaged products



y 6, 1969 H. A. CASS 3,442,396

FIXTURE FOR DISPLAYING PACKAGED PRODUCTS Filed Sept. 26, 1966 INVENTOR. v

HEEEEET A0155 B is- 7 MM A T TORNE Y Y United States Patent 3,442,396 FIXTURE FOR DISPLAYING PACKAGED PRODUCTS Herbert A. Cass, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Peter Eckrich and Sons, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Sept. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 581,974' Int. Cl. A47f 3/02, /00

US. Cl. 211-59 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to improvements in fixtures for displaying packaged products, and more particularly, to a fixture from which packages of food products can be suspended in readily accessible position.

This invention includes a rigid support having front and rear spaced members and a substantially horizontal package suspending unit. Each spaced member of the rigid support includes means for retaining the unit from lateral displacement. The package suspending unit fits slidably in said support engaging said retaining means and projects forwardly relative to said support. At least a part of the package suspending unit constitutes a releasable rod of substantially uniform thickness having a straight rear shank end portion and a front package retaining end portion. The unit retaining means of the rear spaced support member releasably anchors said rod in a package suspending position and restrains axail movement thereof. The straight rear shank portion of the package suspending unit is adapted for insertion through registering apertures of a group of package when the unit is removed from the support.

The sale of food products in supermarkets commonly entails pre-packaging thereof and display thereof attractively in a position which is attention-getting, readily accessible, and from which the articles may be removed easily by purchasers. One method by which this is now accomplished is to provide pins or pegs extending from a support and from which may be suspended the packages, such as packages of sliced meat, by means of apertures in the packages passed over the pins. It is desirable that the pins shall be inclined and that their free ends be upturned in order that suspended packages may be positioned adjacent the front end of the pins and be retained there convenient to be grasped, and with assurance that the rear packages so suspended will slide forwardly as packages in front of them are removed. The upturned ends of pins of this character render the threading of packages onto the pins, for reloading purposes, somewhat ditficult and time consuming.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a display fixture having removable pins upon which packages can be threaded quickly, thereby simplifying the loading operation.

A further object is to provide a fixture having a support releasably mounting a pin at two longtiudinally spaced points thereof by means of spaced apertures, one aperture being configured to cooperate with a configured por- Patented May 6, 1969 tion of the pin to firmly anchor the pin in operative position, and at the same time permit release of the pin by a simple manual manipulation without requiring the use of tools or of securing or anchoring means independent of the pin itself.

A further object is to provide a fixture of this character having a portion which is separable readily, but which is easily and quickly assembled and firmly anchored and which can be manipulated from either the front or the rear of the pin to permit either front loading or rear loading of the fixture rapidly and simply and without requiring the use of separate securing means or special tools.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specifications:

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a refrigerated food display case utilizing my invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 4 and illustrating one embodiment of my invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a part of a rod used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a part of a rod of different construction than shown in FIG. 7, but also usable in the FIG. 2 construction.

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a refrigerated food display case having a base 12, rear wall 14, end walls 16, a top 18, and a front opening 20. A plurality of vertically spaced horizontal supports 22 are mounted within the case 10 adjacent the rear thereof. Pins, pegs, or rods 24 are carried by each support 22 projecting forwardly and preferably downwardly therefrom and terminating in upwardly bent free ends 26 or other package retainers. Packages 28, such as food packages having openings in the upper part thereof, are threaded upon and suspended from each of the pins 24 with the foremost package 28 being positioned by the upwardly bent free end 26 of the pin upon which it is mounted and preferably being located in the front portion of the case adjacent the front opening 20 so that it can be readily grasped, while at the same time it will be subject to the required refrigeration to preserve it until sold. The pins or pegs 24 preferably project forwardly and downwardly from the supports 22 at an angle sufiicient to cause the packages to slide toward the front lowermost parts of the pins at which they are positioned or confined by the upturned end parts 26 or other retainer means.

One embodiment of my invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, wherein each of the supports constitutes a pair of substantially vertical plate portions, such as a front plate 30 and a rear plate 32 preferably substantially parallel to and spaced from plate 30. In the preferred form, the plates 30 and 32 form flanges of a channel member having a connecting web 34. The channel is preferably positioned inverted, that is with the web 34 uppermost and the plates 30 and 32 depending therefrom. Each of the front plates 30 have a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 36 formed therein, arranged similarly and spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the package 28 to be suspended from a pin received in that aperture. Each of the rear plates 32 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 38 formed therein.

Each aperture 38 is paired with an aperture 36 and cooperates therewith to receive and mount a pin 24. Each of the apertures 36 and 38 is preferably large enough to freely and slidably receive the body of a pin 24 therein and preferably has a pin positioning contour portion. Thus, as here illustrated in FIG. 4 each aperture 36 may include a reduced width lower portion 40 in which a part of a pin 24 may rest to be held snugly against lateral displacement; and as shown in FIG. 3, each of the apertures 38 includes an upper configured part 42, such as an inverted V-shaped part.

Each of the pins 24 has a straight shank with an angularly bent end portion 26. Adjacent the end of the straight shank, the same is provided with a pair of angularly directed transverse slots 44 providing a part of V-shaped cross-section at 46, with the apex of the V extending in the same direction as the bend at the opposite end of the pin. The slots define transverse shoulders 48. The pin 24 is positioned in the apertures 36, 38, being fulcrumed in aperture 36. The part 46 seats in the Vshaped part 42 of the rear aperture 38 while an intermediate part of the pin seats in the reduced width part 40 of the aperture 36 of the front plate 30. When the parts are so assembled, the pin will preferably assume a forwardly and downwardly inclined position relative to the support 22, with its upturned free end 26 clear of and forwardly of the support 22. The part 42 engages the rear plate 32 at the aperture part 42 and shoulder 48 to prevent endwise movement of the pin, and the fit of the Vshaped part 46 in the V-noteh 42 together with the fit of the pin part 48 in the reduced part 40 of the front aperture 36 holds the pin firmly against lateral displacement and against rotation. The pin 24 provides adequate support for the weight of the packages 28 thereon, and this weight acts to firmly anchor the pin. At the same time, when the pin requires reloading, it can be manipulated easily to slide it from its interlocking engagement with the apertures 36 and 38 so that it can be freed and its straight rear shank can be passed rapidly through registering openings in a group of packages 28 to supportingly engage them.

An alternate pin construction is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 wherein pin 24' has a reduced diameter eccentric part 46' forming a retaining shoulder 48. This pin is used in the same manner described above.

In some instances, it may be desirable to avoid complete disconnection of the supporting pin from the support and to separate only a part thereof. This is particularly useful in instances which provision is made for loading the pins from the rear, as by means of access openings in the rear wall 14 of a display case. In this construction the support consists of front plate 50 and rear plate 52, which plates may form parts of a channel having a connecting web 54, plates 50 and 52 are positioned horizontally adjacent the rear of a display case as previously described, and each of the plates 50 and 52 is provided with a longitudinally spaced series of apertures. The apertures in each plate are paired with an aperture in the other plate, and the paired apertures slidably receive therein an elongated rod 56. At its front end rod 56 may mount means 58 for detachably securing a price tag, advertising card, or other member 60. The rear end portion of the elongated rod 56 is downturned at 62 and carries a part 64 which preferably terminates in a tubular socket portion 66 having a spring retainer 68. A package supporting pin or rod 70 fits snugly and removably in the socket 66 and preferably has a recess 72 engageable by the spring retainer to hold it against accidental release and to prevent rotation thereof while accommodating intentional separation thereof. Alternatively, the socket 66 and the part of the pin 70 fitting therein may be noncircular to prevent such rotation. The forward free end portion 74 of the rod is upturned.

While I prefer to use pins or rods 24 with upturned end 26 and pins or rods 70 with upturned free ends, it will be understood that any means, such as an enlargernent, notch or cap on the free end of the rod, may be used to normally hold packages thereon, while permitting intentional removal of packages from the pin.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may also be embodied in other forms within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fixture for displaying packages having an aperture for suspension thereof, comprising a rigid support including front and rear spaced members, a substantially horizontal package suspending unit, each spaced member of said rigid support including means for retaining said unit from lateral displacement, said unit fitting slidably in said support and engaging said retaining means, said unit projecting forwardly relative to said support, at least a part of said unit constituting a releasable rod of substantially uniform thickness having a straight rear shank end portion and a front package-supporting end portion, and means including a reduced cross-sectional part interrupting the surface of said rod spaced from its rear end and a rod positioning part having a configuration cooperating with and correlated to said reduced cross-sectional rod part for releasably anchoring said rod in a non-rotative axially restrained package suspending position, said straight rear shank portion being insertable through registering apertures of a group of packages when removed from said support.

2. A fixture as defined in claim 1, wherein the unit retaining means of each spaced member includes a part defining an aperture.

3. A fixture as defined in claim 1, wherein said front unit retaining means permits the vertical displacement of said unit therein.

4. A fixture as defined in claim 2, wherein said straight rear shank portion fits in said support apertures and said reduced cross-sectional rod part engages the portion of the rear spaced member above the aperture thereof and defines shoulders adapted to abut said rear spaced member to limit endwise movement of said rod relative to said support.

5. A fixture as defined in claim 2, wherein said straight rear shank portion fits in said support apertures and said reduced cross-sectional rod part interrupts the upper surface of the straight rear shank portion and defines transverse shoulders engageable with said rear spaced member, said front spaced member below the aperture thereof forming a fulcrum located to urge said reduced crosssectional rod part upwardly in releasable interlocked engagement with said rear spaced member.

6. A fixture as defined in claim 2, wherein said straight rear shank portion fits in said support apertures and said reduced cross-sectional rod part is non-circular and defines shoulders, the aperture of said rear spaced member having an upper non-circular part thereof engaged by said reduced cross-sectional rod part to retard rotation of said rod.

7. A fixture as defined in claim 2, wherein said straight rear shank portion fits in said support apertures and said reduced cross-sectional rod part defines shoulders engaging said rear spaced member above its aperture to limit endwise sliding of said rod, said support apertures receiving said straight rear shank portion with clearance and the aperture of said front spaced member including a lower reduced dimension portion in which said straight rear shank portion fits snugly.

8. A fixture as defined in claim 2, wherein said unit is substantially U-shaped and has an upper leg portion slidable in said support apertures and a two-part lower leg portion including said releasable rod.

9. A fixture as defined in claim 2, wherein said unit is U-shaped and has an upper leg portion slidable in said support apertures and a lower multiple-part leg portion including said releasable rod, and indicia carrying means at the forward free end of said upper leg portion.

10. A fixture as defined in claim 2, wherein said unit is U-shaped and has an upper leg portion slidable in said support apertures and a lower multiple-part leg portion including said releasable rod, said rod positioning part including a spring carried by said lower leg portion.

11. A fixture as defined in claim 2, wherein said unit is U-shaped and has an upper leg portion slidable in said support apertures and a lower multiple-part leg portion including a socket snugly receiving the end of the shank of said releasable rod, and a spring latch carried by said socket and interlocking with said shank at the reduced thickness part thereof.

12. A fixture for displaying packages having an aperture for suspension thereof, comprising a rigid support including front and rear spaced members, a substantially horizontal package suspending unit, said rear spaced member having an aperture, said front spaced member including means for retaining said unit from lateral displacement and permitting said unit to be vertically displaced, at least a part of said unit constituting a releasable rod of substantially uniform thickness having a straight rear shank end portion and a front package-supporting end portion, said straight rear shank portion fitting slidably in said rear spaced member aperture and said unit retaining means, said rod front end portion projecting for-' wardly relative to said support, and means including a reduced cross-sectional part interrupting the surface of said rod spaced from its rear end and a rod positioning part having a configuration cooperating with and correlated to said reduced cross-sectional rod part for releasably anchoring said rod in a package suspending position, said reduced cross-sectional rod part engaging the portion of the rear spaced member above the aperture thereof and defining shoulders adapted to abut said rear spaced member to limit endwise movement of said rod relative to said support, said straight rear shank portion being insertable through registering apertures of a group of packages when removed from said support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 717,895 1/1903 McClain. 2,246,457 6/1941 Schultz 248-224 X 2,419,624 4/1947 Black 211-59 2,454,458 11/ 1948 Kaetker 248-42 2,484,427 10/ 1949 Schwenk 248-42 2,626,711 1/1953 Saul 211-13 2,812,069 11/1957 Trammell 211-182 X 3,211,293 10/1965 Tarnolf 211-59 3,285,425 11/1966 Nervig 211-59 3,245,547 4/1966 Felkay 248-225 X CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 211-105.1, 182 

